There are lots of excellent shopping options in Melbourne and one of the city's most charming arcades is The Block. The heritage arcade runs from Collins Street to Elizabeth Street and is a short walk from Rydges in Exhibition Street.

Shopping aside, it is just a lovely place to stroll and soak in the atmosphere – it really is another time, another pace.The mosaic tile flooring, the glass canopy and the carved stone combine to transport you the 19th Century and the boutique shops beckon. Even if you don't eat chocolate, Haigh's (right) must be tempting!

The Block got its name from the tradition of “doing the block”. In the late 1800’s the fashionable people would parade their finery around the block of Collins and Elizabeth streets, then socialise with friends and partake in a cuppa, probably in the Hopetown Tearooms, which still offers up a fine cuppa with added ambience today.